Microwave seed sensor
First Claim
1. A microwave seed sensor for providing an output signal in response to passage of a seed through tubular conduit means forming a path of travel for seeds, comprising:
- a rectangular waveguide of predetermined interior width, height, and length, respectively, said predetermined width being a width at least as great as the cross-sectional dimension of said tubular conduit and which supports propagation of a standing wave pattern of predetermined order at a predetermined microwave frequency, tubular mounting means for mounting the waveguide in association with the tubular conduit means to define an intersection between the conduit means and the waveguide, said waveguide height being on the order of the dimension of a seed and defining a seed viewing area in said intersection in registry with a limited, predetermined portion of the path of travel formed by the conduit means, said seed viewing area being oriented so that said predetermined height dimension is in alignment with the direction of the path of travel of seeds through the conduit means for substantially achieving resolution of individual seeds as they pass along the portion of the path of travel in registry with the seed viewing area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microwave seed sensor produces an output signal in response to the passage of each seed through a seed planting tube or conduit forming a path of travel for seeds, as in a seed planting machine. The microwave seed sensor comprises a housing of predetermined dimensions defining a waveguide for supporting propagation of a standing wave pattern of predetermined order at a predetermined microwave frequency. The housing includes a tubular portion for receiving the seed conduit, so that the seed conduit and waveguide intersect to define a seed viewing area where the path of travel in the conduit is in registry with the waveguide. This seed viewing area is of predetermined dimension in the direction of the path of travel of seeds through the conduit for resolution of individual seeds by the microwave seed sensor so that seeds may be counted. The predetermined dimensions of the seed sensor housing are such that the microwave energy is substantially confined within the waveguide, preventing any leakage of microwave energy into the seed conduit, except in the seed viewing area.
48 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A microwave seed sensor for providing an output signal in response to passage of a seed through tubular conduit means forming a path of travel for seeds, comprising:
- a rectangular waveguide of predetermined interior width, height, and length, respectively, said predetermined width being a width at least as great as the cross-sectional dimension of said tubular conduit and which supports propagation of a standing wave pattern of predetermined order at a predetermined microwave frequency, tubular mounting means for mounting the waveguide in association with the tubular conduit means to define an intersection between the conduit means and the waveguide, said waveguide height being on the order of the dimension of a seed and defining a seed viewing area in said intersection in registry with a limited, predetermined portion of the path of travel formed by the conduit means, said seed viewing area being oriented so that said predetermined height dimension is in alignment with the direction of the path of travel of seeds through the conduit means for substantially achieving resolution of individual seeds as they pass along the portion of the path of travel in registry with the seed viewing area.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A microwave seed sensor comprising a housing of electrically conductive material defining a substantially rectangular waveguide of predetermined dimensions for supporting and confining microwave energy in a standing wave pattern of predetermined order at a predetermined microwave frequency, substantially excluding propagation of microwave energy of any other order, said housing further including a through aperture of substantially circular cross-section for mounting said seed sensor to a cylindrical seed conduit, said circular cross-section being of predetermined diameter for substantially confining said microwave energy to said rectangular waveguide, the predetermined dimensions of said rectangular waveguide further defining a seed viewing area of dimension on the order of the dimension of a seed in the direction of a path of travel of seeds through said seed conduit, whereby said seed sensor is responsive substantially only to seeds individually as they pass through a portion of said conduit substantially in registry with said seed viewing area, so as to provide a measure of the number of seeds passing through said conduit.
- 9. A seed monitoring system for a field seed planter, said field seed planter having a plurality of means delivering seeds along predetermined paths of travel to the ground to be planted, said monitoring system comprising a plurality of microwave seed sensors, each mounted in association with one of said paths of travel for seeds to define an intersection between the seed sensor and the associated path of travel, each said microwave seed sensor comprising means defining a rectangular waveguide for supporting and confining microwave energy in a standing wave pattern of a predetermined order and a predetermined microwave frequency, said waveguide defining a seed viewing area in the intersection in registry with a predetermined portion of the path of travel, the seed viewing area being of predetermined dimension in the direction of the path of travel on the order of the dimension of a seed for substantially achieving resolution of individual seeds as they pass along the portion of the path of travel in registry with the seed viewing area.
- 12. A monitoring system for a field seed planter, said field seed planter having a plurality of means for delivering seeds to be planted along predetermined paths of travel to the ground, said monitoring system comprising a plurality of microwave seed sensors each mounted in association with one of said paths of travel, oscillator and detector means for generating microwave energy, means including scanning means for sequentially and repeatedly delivering said microwave energy to each of said microwave seed sensors in a predetermined order, said oscillator and detector means including a detector output and being responsive to said microwave seed sensors for producing a predetermined output signal at said detector output in response to passage of a seed along one of said paths of travel, a plurality of output circuit means each associated with one of said microwave seed sensors for receiving said detector signal output and joined with said scanning means for channeling said detector output signals through ones of the output circuit means in unison with the scanning of their associated sensor means, and monitoring circuit means for receiving said output signals from the output circuit means and for producing display signals therefrom for driving an operator observable display, wherein said microwave seed sensors each comprise a rectangular waveguide for supporting and confining microwave energy in a standing wave pattern of a predetermined order at a predetermined microwave frequency, each waveguide defining a seed viewing area in registry with a portion of the associated path of travel, said seed viewing area being of predetermined dimension in the direction of the path of travel on the order of the dimension of a seed for substantially resolving individual seeds as they pass along the portion of the path of travel in registry with the seed viewing area.
Specification